Best Roasting Pan 2020

I’ve covered cookware for Wirecutter for four years. During that time, I’ve researched and tested roasting pans, skillets, saucepans, cast iron, dutch ovens, and nonstick pans. Over the course of my long culinary career, I prepared and roasted countless turkeys for magazine Thanksgiving spreads, hotel buffets, and family holidays.

We also spoke with experts in the culinary field:

• Nick Anderer, executive chef at Maialino in New York City
• Levon Wallace, executive chef at Grey and Dudley in Nashville
• Judy Haubert, food stylist based in New York City
• Jane Lear, former senior editor at Gourmet Magazine and food writer based in New York City

Roasting pans aren’t just for preparing your Thanksgiving turkey and the occasional holiday prime rib. A good roaster is very handy year-round for more than just meat. It can make extra-large batches of lasagna or a casserole to feed a crowd, and it’s roomy enough to accommodate a one-pan meal for quick weeknight dinners. You can roast hearty vegetables like winter squash, parsnips, and onions, then toss with cooked pasta for an easy Meatless Monday meal. Got a bumper crop of homegrown tomatoes? A large roasting pan is an ideal receptacle to slow-roast a big batch of tomato confit for winter soups and pasta sauces. And when a custard or cheesecake recipe calls for baking in a water bath, a roasting pan with high sides and sturdy handles makes the process easier.

When determining how much you should spend on a roasting pan, be honest about how often you’ll use it. A good, fully clad tri-ply roaster that can perform well over direct heat and in the oven is surprisingly affordable and useful year-round. But if you cook a lot of roasts, or are inclined to make one-pan dinners during the week, we suggest spending extra money for better searing and roasting performance. One the other hand, if you just want something more substantial than a supermarket foil pan for the holiday bird, you can spend around $30 for an adequately sturdy roaster.

Over the past four years, we’ve considered more than 40 roasting pans and tested 12. For this 2017 update, we tested three new pans against our top pick and runner-up. We found roasters that will satisfy most budgets and needs, from a $30 pan for the occasional holiday main, to a $250 year-round workhorse. The best roasting pans are great for stovetop and oven cooking, versatile for year-round use, and sturdy enough to hold the bulkiest roasts. To meet those requirements, we focused on a few factors:

Material
The material of the roasting pan was our primary concern. After looking at a variety of materials— aluminum, coated cast iron, Pyrex, ceramic, copper, tri-ply and 5-ply—we focused on tri-ply because it’s durable, nonreactive, a superior heat conductor, easy to clean, and bright so you can see exactly how much your pan drippings are browning. Tri-ply is simply aluminum sandwiched between stainless steel. Aluminum is an excellent heat conductor, but it’s also reactive, meaning it can impart a metallic taste when used to cook acidic foods like tomatoes, citrus, and vinegar. Layering an aluminum core with stainless offers the best of both worlds. A tri-ply roasting pan is effective on the stovetop for gravy-making and searing because the aluminum core ensures that heat is evenly dispersed, preventing buckling or warping. It’s also lightweight, unlike coated cast iron, so there’s not as much of a struggle to lift and lower a pan in and out of an oven.

We immediately dismissed roasting pans with dark interiors, like anodized aluminum and nonstick. It’s difficult to monitor fond (delicious caramelized brown bits in the bottom of the pan) color and development against dark cookware, and nonstick coating will break down over time. Stainless-steel 5-ply pans don’t distribute heat as well as tri-ply. Glass and ceramic are lightweight, but not flameproof, so you can’t use them on the stovetop. Copper is an excellent heat conductor and goes from oven to stovetop, but it’s also expensive and tarnishes easily.

Heat circulation
Proper heat circulation in the pan ensures your roast is evenly browned and cooked throughout. A roaster’s sides should be tall enough to keep accumulated juices in the pan when you’re moving it in and out of the oven, but not so high that radiant heat can’t reach the bottom. We think 3-inch walls are an ideal height. Levon Wallace, executive chef at Nashville’s Grey and Dudley, said it best: “You want a little more space for air-flow, and when you get those high-wall roasting pans, you end up with not so much browning on the sides, which isn’t ideal.”

Stovetop performance
You want a roasting pan that can consistently sear, deglaze, and cook gravy on the stovetop. A pan with uneven heat distribution, like one made from thin sheet metal or with an encapsulated bottom, will warp and develop burned spots over direct heat. A fully clad pan with some weight to it is sturdier and more consistent on the stovetop.

Roasting pans with a flat bottom are best for easy searing and for whisking roux and gravy. Some pans have a trough around the inside perimeter that makes it difficult to mix a smooth gravy or get even oil coverage when searing because liquids run to the sides of the pan. This leaves the middle of the pan dry and susceptible to scorching.

Size
A good roasting pan should be large enough to accommodate a big Thanksgiving turkey and straddle two burners for stovetop cooking, but not so big that it can’t fit in a standard-size home oven. Nick Anderer, the executive chef at Maialino in New York City, thinks a roasting pan should fit a full eight-rib standing beef roast, which can run up to 16 inches long. Roasters that measure at least 16 by 12 inches are in the sweet spot. That’s big enough to accommodate up to a 20-pound turkey or a large amount of vegetables without overcrowding the pan.

Shape

Rectangular roasting pans are more versatile than oval roasters. Both of the chefs that we spoke with said that though oval pans are attractive, the rectangular shape is more practical because it gives you more cooking area. You can cook two whole chickens in a rectangular pan, and it’s also a better shape for purposes other than roasting. A large, rectangular pan makes a great bain marie (a hot water bath for baking delicate custards such as crème brûleé and cheesecake), and is perfect for layered casseroles such as lasagna.Handles
Handle comfort and strength are important because you need a good grip when pulling a hot, heavy pan filled with boiling juices out of the oven. Rigid, upright stainless steel handles that are riveted into the sides are best, and they should be big enough to allow a good grip with bulky oven mitts on. Thin folding handles that are welded into the sides are difficult to grab and feel flimsy—not an ideal situation when carrying a bubbling pan of fat.

V racks vs. flat racks
A rack allows radiant heat to flow underneath the roast or bird. The most common is a V-shaped rack that elevates the roast 1 to 2 inches off the bottom of the pan. Some roasters have a flat rack, our upgrade pick included. Flat racks offer more surface area to accommodate larger roasts. Both chefs we interviewed agreed that a V rack is limiting in its size and shape because it’s made to hold the roast and nothing else. A flat rack, on the other hand, spans the bottom of the roaster, giving you more room for vegetables and aromatics. But racks aren’t necessary for a well-cooked turkey or roast. Food stylist Judy Haubert prefers to place her turkey atop carrots, celery, and onions so that they caramelize and add complexity to the gravy.

We prefer stainless steel racks without nonstick coating. We aren’t fundamentally opposed to nonstick coating, but it will start flaking off over time leaving black flecks in your pan juices and gravies.

We tested each pan on a home range, using the same oven temperature and same burner settings on a gas stove. We roasted turkeys at 325 ºF until the internal temperature of the thigh was 160 ºF. We looked for even browning, radiant heat circulation, and consistent fond color across the bottom of the pan.

We then transferred the pans to the stovetop to make gravy, making sure to straddle each pan across two burners. Here, we looked for heat distribution and shape of the pan’s cooking area: Did the gravy boil throughout, or strictly over the burners? Were there weird indentations in the bottom of the pan that made scraping fond or whisking gravy difficult?

To test the versatility of a roasting pan, we made a one-pan meal in each, searing chicken pieces and then finishing in the oven with vegetables. With this test, we could see how well each pan distributed heat on the stovetop and in the oven. We looked at the color of the chicken skin after searing and the color of the vegetables after roasting.

The Cuisinart 16″ Roasting Pan With Rack (MCP117-16BR) is a durable, fully clad tri-ply roasting pan on a par with pans that cost nearly twice as much. For the fourth year running, we can’t find another roasting pan that can sear as well on the stove and roast as evenly in the oven for under $100. The Cuisinart’s flat cooking area makes whisking gravy or searing meat easier than in models with raised middles or ridged bottoms. Its riveted, upright handles are roomy enough for a secure grip with hot pads or oven mitts. The uncoated stainless steel V-rack can take a hard scrubbing without flaking and can hold up to 15 pound turkey (the pan can hold a turkey up to 20 pounds without the rack).

The MultiClad Pro delivered a turkey with crisp golden skin over most of the bird, save for the hard-to-reach area under the wings. The same was true for all the other pans except the All-Clad Flared Roaster, which browned the turkey down around the wings. Each of the 12 pans we tested roasted turkey evenly and developed a deep golden fond, regardless of the presence of a roasting rack.

The aluminum core throughout this fully clad pan helps to evenly distribute heat when cooking on the stovetop. Gravy boiled consistently across the cooking surface without sticking or scorching. In comparison, single-ply steel roasters, like the Tramontina Gourmet Prima and the Granite Ware 19-inch Covered Oval Roaster (F0510), don’t have an aluminum core and aren’t great at conducting heat. The result is localized cooking in the areas directly over the burners, which can cause scorching and warping of the pan. The flat bottom also made scraping up fond and whisking gravy easy, whereas other pans we tested had a raised middle or ridges that made sauce making difficult.

The Cuisinart also easily straddled across two burners on the stove, and browned chicken pieces over the stovetop without spotty blackening or warping from direct burner heat. And when we added vegetables to the chicken and transferred the pan to the oven to roast, the squash and carrots caramelized throughout and the chicken skin turned more golden and crisp. The same task was a challenge with some of the other pans tested, as the vegetables only browned at the points that made contact with the pan and little elsewhere.

Another feature we like about the Cuisinart roasting pan are its big, sturdy, riveted handles that are easy to grip with potholders or dish towels. And the included V rack doesn’t have a nonstick coating, so it can take a good scrubbing without flaking.

Cuisinart covers its roasting pan with a limited lifetime warranty that protects against manufacturer defects. That means that any damage from user error, like dropping or extreme heating, isn’t covered.

Some Amazon reviewers complain about the pan pitting, or arriving damaged, but we haven’t experienced this. However, we did discover some slight discoloration from acid after roasting five halved lemons with whole chickens in our pan. But there wasn’t any weird flavor and the stain mostly cleared up after scrubbing the pan with Bar Keeper’s Friend and a Scotch Brite green scouring pad.

This model has a straight-cut edge, not a bent lip like our runner-up and upgrade picks. The straight lip causes slight dribbling when pouring pan juices. But given that this roaster is an outstanding performer and an excellent value, this tiny flaw is not a dealbreaker.

We really like the Cuisinart roasting pan. The more we use it, the more we like it. It’s sturdy and can take a beating. It’s still the second best roasting pan to sear on the stovetop (our upgrade pick, the All-Clad, being the best). We used this pan to roast chicken and lemons recently and it did a fantastic job, producing golden skin on the chicken and making the lemons soft and pulpy. And after comparing it again with roasting pans from KitchenAid, Anolon, and Viking in our 2017 round of testing, we’re reminded why we chose it as our top pick. It’s strong, sturdy, and affordable.

When our top pick inevitably sells out in the weeks leading up to Thanksgiving, the comparably priced Anolon Tri-ply Clad Roaster with Nonstick Rack is a good alternative. Like our other tri-ply picks, this fully clad pan distributes heat well in the oven and on the stovetop. The only issue we have with the Anolon roaster is the channel that collects oil and liquids around the perimeter. But that’s not an issue if you don’t plan to use this pan on the stovetop very often. Anolon’s spacious 16½-by-12-inch interior can hold a large turkey or standing rib roast, and the roomy riveted handles offer a secure grip with towels or oven mitts.

We don’t have any complaints about Anolon’s performance in the oven. The golden, juicy turkey we roasted in this pan would be a swoon-worthy centerpiece on any holiday table. It’s a spacious roaster that can easily accommodate large cuts of meat destined for the oven.

When it came time to make gravy on the stovetop, however, we had to tilt and maneuver the Anolon a bit to whisk a consistent roux and smooth gravy, because liquids ran off the raised center. We had a similar issue searing chicken on the stovetop, because the oil gathered along the sides, away from the chicken pieces.

If you’re mainly interested in oven use, the Anolon is a solid option: It’s super sturdy and the generous handles are easy to grip. Its bent lip makes clean work of pouring pan drippings into a fat separator, and the rounded roasting rack has a lot of surface area for larger turkeys. However, the rack is nonstick coated, so opt for a gentle scouring sponge when cleaning.

Anolon’s lifetime warranty covers any defective parts but doesn’t protect against accidents, misuse, or abuse.

The KitchenAid Tri-ply Stainless Steel Roaster is a sturdy, fully clad tri-ply roaster that performed on a par with our top pick, but costs twice as much. It features a flat bottom that offered the same stovetop searing and gravy-making performance as our top pick, the Cuisinart. The slightly larger, thicker, and heavier KitchenAid roaster also has a bent lip to make pouring off pan juices easier—a feature the Cuisinart lacks. And the spacious roasting rack offers more surface area than any other V-style rack we tested. We still think the Cuisinart is the best value for a fully clad tri-ply roasting pan, but the KitchenAid pan is also an excellent pan if you’re willing to spend the extra scratch.

The interior heat circulation in the KitchenAid roaster is similar to that of the Cuisinart, yielding a mostly golden turkey with small spots of pale skin under the wings. And like our top pick, the flat cooking surface let us easily sear crispy-skinned chicken pieces and whisk a smooth gravy on the stove. KitchenAid’s riveted handles are slightly smaller than those on our top pick, but both are sturdy and provide a confident grip.

KitchenAid’s flatter nonstick roasting rack has more surface area, and is more versatile than other V racks we tested. This shape not only takes up more of the pan’s cooking area, but also better accommodates odd-shaped roasts or a batch of cornish game hens. But nonstick coating has a tendency to flake off with age and use, so be sure to clean the rack with a Dobie pad or other gentle scouring sponge.

The KitchenAid roaster has a slightly larger cooking surface than our top pick (16 by 13 inches, as opposed to Cuisinart’s 16 by 12 inches). Even though it’s the thickest gauge of our roasting pan picks (3 millimeters, compared with Cuisinart’s 2.4 millimeters and All-Clad’s 2.6 millimeters), it didn’t distribute heat better than our budget-friendly top pick. In fact, the thicker walls just make this 8¾-pound roaster the heaviest of all our picks.

A nice feature of the KitchenAid roaster is its bent lip, which allows you to cleanly and accurately pour off pan juices into something like a fat separator. KitchenAid’s warranty covers the pan against manufacturer defects under normal household use.

Granite Ware 19-inch Covered Oval Roaster (F0510) is a good pick for those who only want something to use for roasting the annual turkey. Our testing found that it was capable of roasting a turkey well, but not much else. Even with its weaknesses, we still think you’re better off using this durable and economical roaster than a flimsy supermarket foil pan.

As far as roasting performance goes, there’s little to complain about. The Granite Ware does not have a rack, but the turkey cooked well regardless. It came out golden brown all over, except the bottom, which stuck to the pan and shredded when we lifted it out (but that’s not really a huge deal). The handles are on the small side, you can still grab them with mitts or towels. This roaster is super lightweight and thin, a good thing if you’re worried about hoisting a giant turkey in and out of the oven.

Granite Ware’s oval shape is good for roasting one large item, like a turkey and a pig roast, but it lacks versatility. You can’t easily fit two whole chickens in this pan like you can in our rectangular picks.

Making gravy on the stovetop was serviceable but far from ideal. The channels in the bottom of the pan make it difficult to scrape fond and whisk a smooth gravy, and heat is centralized over the burners due to the lack of a heat-conducting aluminum core.

The lack of a core also lead to a complete failure in the one-pan chicken meal test. Granite Ware’s enameled steel is so thin that we would not advise using this roaster on the stovetop. Chicken skin stuck to the bottom when searing, and the whole pan buckled and twisted from the direct heat.

The Williams Sonoma All-Clad Stainless-Steel Flared Roaster surpassed the competition with its exceptional searing and roasting capabilities. We found that All-Clad’s flared sides and fully clad construction allowed for the best heat circulation of all the pans we tested. The bent lip let us cleanly pour off pan juices, and the included flat rack (as opposed to a V rack) holds roasts and poultry of various sizes and shapes. The All-Clad is a much bigger investment than the Cuisinart, but we think it’s a worthy investment for people who want a superb roasting pan. If you like one-pan meals or weekly Sunday roasts, this pan will serve you well.

All-Clad’s flared sides help circulate air efficiently, which allows more radiant heat to reach the parts of your roast deepest inside the walls of the pan. In our tests, the All-Clad roasted turkey was the only one with an all-over deep golden color that extended down around the wings. And even though All-Clad’s heat circulation was the best of every pan we tested, it’s still the most lightweight tri-ply roaster of all our picks, weighing just under 6 pounds.

This roaster outperformed the competition at searing chicken, consistently rendering and browning each piece. Our one-pan chicken dinner from the All-Clad had the crispiest skin and most flavorful caramelized vegetables, though the one made in the Cuisinart MultiClad Pro was a very close second.

Instead of a V-rack, which is specific to poultry and oblong cuts of meat, the All-Clad comes with a flat rack, which lets you prop up roasts, whole fish, or pork shoulder for all-over radiant heat contact. The Flared Roaster comes in two sizes—large (16¾ by 13¾ by 2½ inches) and extra-large (18¾ by 14¾ by 3 inches), so you can decide what size pan is right for you. We tested the large, and it was plenty big for a 15-pound turkey or a one-pan chicken dinner. This roaster was a bit small to completely straddle two burners, but that wasn’t at all a problem because it still deglazed evenly. The flat bottom made scraping fond and whisking roux and gravy easy.

All-Clad tri-ply cookware is very easy to clean. It doesn’t discolor from heat like other tri-ply cookware can. Water spots and cooked-on grease clean up easily with just hot water, dish soap, and a scour sponge. The Williams Sonoma All-Clad Stainless-Steel Flared Roaster is dishwasher-safe and comes with All-Clad’s limited lifetime warranty.